The Press Box.

1st Guilty Plea In Salt Lake Probe

SALT LAKE CITY — A businessman pleaded guilty Tuesday to tax fraud in the first criminal case coming out of the federal investigation of Salt Lake City's winning bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

David E. Simmons admitted to helping the son of a powerful International Olympic Committee member from South Korea obtain lawful permanent resident status by setting up a sham job at his now-defunct communications company.

He pleaded guilty to a single charge of filing a fraudulent tax return, a misdemeanor that carries a prison term of up to a year and a $100,000 fine.

Simmons agreed to cooperate with the investigation, which was begun in December and now involves the Justice Department, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Customs Service.